v2 Chapter 15: What's Important

“Are you okay, dear? You're injured, aren't you?”

“Y-yes, I'm okay. Shouko protected me...”

“Listen, dear, I know this is sudden, but if you don't have a guardian, how about coming with us?”

“Oh, um...”

Haru hesitated.

“She can come with us, too. Such a cute girl. We only had boys, you see.” “We had a girl, so we have plenty of clothes left over.”

Voices rose one after another from the surrounding crowd.

“This is normal, you know, Haru. You just ended up in a really bad spot,” Leon gently patted Haru's head.

“Sorry, but she's from the same place as this one,” Leon said, pointing to Shouko, “Because of that connection, we're taking her in.”

“Oh, alright. You seem close, after all. She'll surely be fine if you're together.”

The people around nodded in agreement.

“Still, Terry used to be such a kind, affectionate person. Has he changed a bit?” “All the magicians have been like that lately. Sort of irritable and selfish.” “Haven't they always been selfish?” “No doubt about it.” “Haha.”

And so the commotion died down ambiguously, but Shouko had no intention of giving up on her shopping. She dragged the dejected Haru around with her before they finally settled down in a diner that smelled delicious.

“Honestly,” Shouko shrugged with a sigh. “It was Fia, right? The one who got hurt? It wasn't because you left, Haru, it was the Magic Academy's fault, wasn't it?”

“Yeah. I know, but...”

“You shouldn't mistake who's to blame. It's a relief the townspeople haven't gone strange too, really.”

“Yeah.”

She seemed to have cheered up just a little.

“Shouko, don't be too hard on her. Even if you understand it in your head, your heart doesn't always catch up right away.”

“Wow, Leon, that's well said.” Shouko grinned at Leon for saying something so sensible.

“Hey, Haru.” “Yes?”

It was rare for Falco to initiate conversation.

“Shouko is important to me.”

“Hey, what?” Shouko waved her hands flutteringly in front of her face. She was happy, and she knew it, but it was still embarrassing.

“But still,” Falco continued, “I wouldn't want someone else to get hurt in Shouko's place. Especially not a child smaller than her.”

Shouko nodded emphatically.

“Because, you know...” Falco seemed to want to say more, but the words wouldn't quite come out. “Because Shouko is important to me.”

He said it once more. Haru's eyes widened as she stared intently at Falco.

“That's why... I can't think that someone selfish enough to hurt a small child like that is worthy of Shouko. I don't really like thinking about this stuff properly, but...” Falco gently pressed a hand to his upper chest. “I want to always be by Shouko's side, with no lingering resentment or ill feelings here. So you too, Haru.”

“Yes?”

“It's okay to feel down, but the path you should take... you need to ask yourself here if it's something that would bring shame to what's important to you.”

Important things. In this world, she had nothing. Shouko, sitting beside Haru, gently patted her hand.

“Start with yourself. Be proud of the self that lived as an adult.”

Hearing Shouko counsel her like that, Leon asked with a stern expression, “What do you mean, 'as an adult'?” If both Shouko and Haru possessed the perspective of having lived as adults, what kind of country had they come from?

“Ah, Leon, don't worry. I'll talk about our homeland when the time comes. You too, Falco.” Shouko nodded reassuringly at Falco as well. Her guardians in the Deep Forest town, and those around them, had rarely asked about Shouko's circumstances. Shouko was here now. That was enough—that's what everyone thought.

Shouko, like the sun. Haru thought. Could she do it too?

“You've still got about 180 years left. Let's take it slow.”

Slowly. Start from here. Even so, the five years she cultivated as a working adult still remained within her. Five years where she learned to do things she couldn't before. Five years where she supported herself.

A light flickered in Haru's large, uncertain eyes. Falco and Leon, sitting opposite her, noticed it.

Just then, the food arrived.

“Alright, lunch is here.” “Wow, food that takes time to cook really does look delicious.”

It was Red-Bellied Rock Lizard stew, a specialty of the Lakes region. It was a large lizard unique to the lakes, with a black body and a red underside, but unusually for a lizard, its meat was tough. However, when stewed, it became fall-apart tender and deeply flavorful. Leon picked up a small piece of meat with his fork and blew on it to cool it.

“Come on, don't just space out. Say 'ahh'.” “Huh?” “Say 'ahh'.”

As Haru instinctively opened her mouth, Leon popped the meat inside. It was something she often ate back at the dorm, but here the seasoning was different, and it was incredibly tender, Haru thought.

“It's delicious.” “See? Okay, next bite.” “Ehh?” “Leon, let her eat by herself. You're making her uncomfortable, aren't you?” “Shouko, say 'ahh'.” “Aargh, honestly, can someone do something about these two?!”

As Shouko slumped forward, pressing her hands to her head, laughter broke out from the diner.

“I get how you feel, but she's getting to that age, you know? If you don't dial it back, she'll start hating you.” The voice, tinged with laughter, came from the next table. Shouko muttered, “He gets it,” but Leon and Falco snapped to attention at the words “start hating you,” straightening their postures.

“Thanks, mister.” “Ah, it's nothing. Parents everywhere are like that. And then you just get told, 'Leave me alone, Dad'.” “Haha, that's true, isn't it?”

After that, the meal finished without incident, and in the afternoon, they bought dried Marsh Catfish from Goldo. Haru also clutched her wallet and bought dried Marsh Grapes.

That's right, if she just had the chance to work, she could definitely earn a living. She'd be okay. Haru felt her chest swell with anticipation for tomorrow, almost as if she had just landed a job.